Collision
by adamosun
Summary: Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff have played the role of boss/PA for many years. When Natasha is promoted C.E.O of Stark Industries, a mystifying woman named Pepper Potts steps up to bat. Tony's infatuation for her does not change the fact that she's keeping an incredible secret from him- and as events unfold, he may find out what it is. Set during IM2, AU.
1. We Have Locked Target

**9:58 P.M**

**2010 Stark Expo**

**Flushing Meadows, **

**New York**

"_Hatch is about to open,_ _we are over the drop zone. Good luck, Mr. Stark_."

An incredibly loud whooshing noise erupted a few feet from where he was standing, and then all of a sudden he was looking at the night sky and the lights of his expo far, far down below.

_Jesus_.

"Jarvis, we clear?"

"_All systems are in perfect condition. You are ready for flight._"

"Damn, I was hoping there would be something wrong, you know, so I wouldn't have to-"

"_I suggest you drop now, sir._"

Tony smirked. "Smart ass."

He backed up a few steps, stretched his fingers tensely, flexed his arms, and then took a running start towards the back of the plane. He heard ecstatic cheers from the crew behind him, and then he was in the air.

_Ahhhhhh ohboyohboyohboy._

He kept his eyes locked on the target below him, examining the lights of his expo. There it was, millions of dollars splayed out on a one hundred and thirty acre platter. Natasha had told him this was a great idea. Brilliant. Not a waste of money or time.

As he sped towards the arena where he was scheduled to make an appearance, he kind of thought that it was. Maybe. Perhaps.

"Turn on the thrusters," he ordered while dodging approaching sprays of sparks. Goddamn. Maybe next time they shouldn't set off _fireworks_ in the drop zone. He grunted when one bowled right into his chest piece.

"_Thrusters are on, sir. You will reach landing in approximately twenty seconds_."

"Amazing, honey."

He neared the dome where hundreds of screaming people were waiting, searching the skies with binoculars. He smiled in anticipation, flexing his fingers beneath the iron-er, gold titanium alloy-that protected them.

Five...four...three...two...one.

He careened through the open roof, met with a wave of blaring ACDC music and the crowds' adoring screams. Cheers. Whistles. He straightened and brought up both his arms, signaling that he was here, and he was ready to please. This was met with more thunderous applause and numerous declarations of love.

Tony smiled outlandishly behind his mask, laughing to himself.

* * *

Little did he know, a pair of narrowed blue eyes carefully scrutinized him from a spot in the crowd, her arms crossed over her chest. She raised her eyebrows in confusion as his arms thrust themselves in the air, welcoming the overwhelming amount of praise he was getting. As he began rotating on a stage platform where mechanical arms worked to disengage him from the Suit, his faceplate was lifted and there was the face of Tony Stark, smiling with an ease that just wasn't natural for someone who was in front of thousands of people.

She turned her back and strode through the crowd purposefully, swiveling her head to make sure she was not being followed. She exited the glass doors of the building, brushing her light red hair out of the way and pressing on an earpiece.

"Sir, we have locked target."

The deep voice of her boss responded, "you're positive?"

She nodded. "Oh, I'm absolutely positive. I think anyone could tell it was him from a mile away."

"Excellent. He's returning to Malibu tomorrow late afternoon. He has a date with the United States government in D.C first. You'll have a few days before we'll need you, but you will be ready and waiting by the time he returns."

"Is my jet ready?"

"It's waiting for you."

"Got it." She started to cut off communication.

"Oh, and Agent?"

She paused. "Yes, sir?"

"Good luck. I think you'll need it." The line was cut.

She breathed deeply and started down the marble stairs, ignoring the commotion in the building behind her.

"_It's good to be back!_" The male voice of her target shouted distantly. _Wow__, Phil was right. He does sounds arrogant_.

She walked down the sidewalk leading to the other Expo events, grateful for the scattered amount of people. Mostly everyone was in the large glass building, crawling over one another to see the main attraction.

Once she walked some distance, she veered off the walkway and into a dense clump of tall bushes. She pushed them aside, and there it was. Her treasured mode of transportation. Her best friend.

"Hi Red," She called, walking towards the motorcycle and patting it fondly. She bent over to retrieve the helmet dangling from the handle and then mounted it with ease.

She wanted desperately to rev the engine. She loved the purr that her bike made, and often times it calmed her.

However, she had to get out of there quietly, so she settled for hitting full speed and bursting soundlessly out of the bushes, zipping down the sidewalk and dodging the little groups of people walking around.

She didn't look back, instead focusing on the distant noises of the city and speeding off into the night, away from the Expo.

_I'll see you soon, Tony Stark_.


	2. Happy Slipped

_I know, I know. This is weird, isn't it? I know what you're thinking: no, no, Pepper Potts is supposed to be Tony Stark's loyal assistant and this is way, __**way**__ too weird for me I can't handle it the world is going to end-WAIT! Hear me out._

_Yes, I know this is different, but stick with me. I promise the Pepperony here will be the exact same as everybody's, it's just that Pepper will be more of a badass than she already is._

_Again, I know this is different, but give it a try for Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow. They could be reading this, you never know._

_Enjoy._

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel respectively. Some dialogue/scenarios are taken from IM2.**

* * *

**4:30 P.M**

**Stark Mansion**

**Malibu,**

**CA**

**3 DAYS AFTER 2010 STARK EXPO GRAND OPENING**

God, Natasha was killing him.

Tony sat at his cluttered desk, absentmindedly fiddling with an Iron Man paper weight he received from a fan months ago in one hand and holding a beer in the other. His gloriously curvaceous assistant rambled on about meetings and paperwork, her voice a droning background noise, clicking back and forth in front of his desk impatiently. She was ignoring the _shut the hell up_ glares that he was shooting her, and giving him some of her own.

He was used to those glares, and she had nearly perfected the art yesterday during his court session in D.C. All she needed was a little less arc to her brow and she was golden.

_Court session_ was the simple gentleman's way of putting it, Tony preferred to refer to it as _the time he fucking destroyed a room full of powerful government officials_.

Now, he was so bored that he contemplated starting an inner monologue (meaning: a monologue taking place inside his mind) between his Iron Man paper weight and the beer bottle. He would do this at meetings often, depending on the level of boredom he was experiencing, selecting two objects and starting conversation between them. The last time he did this, however, he burst into laughter in the middle of a presentation. He thought Natasha was going to choke him with his own tie.

That was his PA for you. Her temper was outrageous, she rarely smiled, and when she did it was an attempt to persuade him to give her something.

This brought his memories back to six years ago, before Afghanistan, when she was first hired. Witty, incredibly attractive, voluptuous, twenty-five. She ate up all the attention he gave her, welcoming his come ons with open arms. The first time they had sex was two months after she was hired. Easy game.

He didn't want to live like that anymore. He hadn't for almost a year. Natasha knew that, and he liked to think it hadn't changed their already tenuous relationship. It had.

Ahh, he was bored out of his mind. He needed to get going on the plans he'd drawn out last night.

"...and they won't stop bothering me about it, so worst case scenario we fly you out there for a quick brunch. They're nice people, shouldn't be any trouble. Lastly-"

Tony cleared his head and took a sip of beer. "Oh yay, 'lastly.'"

Natasha rolled her eyes and stopped pacing. Flipping her dark red hair, she disregarded the pile of paper she was carrying by placing it on his desk, put both hands on her flaunted hips, and faced her boss square on. Tony regarded her curiously, lowering the bottle.

"What?"

"This is somewhat awkward and not easy to say, but I think you should know that I've been...promoted."

He raised an eyebrow. "Promoted?"

She cleared her throat. "Yes. Mr. Favreau, the head of-"

"Yeah, I know who he is. He's the head of the executive committee."

Natasha nodded and stepped around his desk so that they were both on the same side, nothing in between them but air. Tony, to distract himself from the demanding presence of her chest, brought the bottle to his lips.

"He and the rest of the board have decided that it's in the company's best interest that I...become C.E.O."

_WHAT?_ Corona sprayed from Tony's mouth as he choked in surprise. The liquid make a graceful arch in the air and landed squarely on the midriff of Natasha's business dress, soaking the dark fabric.

"Oh!" She shrieked, dancing away. "Tony!"

Tony wiped his mouth on his sleeve and sat back against his chair, coughing. "S-sorry. _C.E.O_?"

Natasha glared at him, swiping at her dampened dress. "Yes. Sorry to disappoint you, but I took the offer."

"Why?"

"I think you know why."

Tony gritted his teeth. "Nope. I don't."

"You haven't been the same since Afghanistan. We used to have fun. Now it's like a tomb around here."

Tony stared at her in disbelief. "You're leaving because _I won't have sex with you anymore_?"

Natasha sighed. "This is who I am, I can't help it and I sure as hell don't want to. I like to have fun, Mr. Stark."

"And you think you'll get it by becoming C.E.O of my company," he deadpanned.

Natasha flared her nostrils in frustration. "You just don't understand. The old you would have, I'm sure."

"The 'old me' was someone who was self centered, reckless, and slept with every goddamn woman he met."

"Perhaps. But he sure knew how to have one hell of a good time." His assistant abruptly retreated around his desk and gathered her papers hastily. "This week you'll be interviewing potential assistants and finally choosing one you're satisfied with."

"What if I'm not satisfied with any of them? What if none of them want this job?"

Natasha gazed at him heavily. "Persuasion is one of your many talents, Mr. Stark. It certainly worked with me."

With that she strode away, exiting the glass door of his workshop and leaving Tony fuming.

_Don't focus on it now._

To keep himself from boiling over the edge, Tony dug into his pant pocket and drew up his blood analyzer. He studied it darkly before pricking his finger on the thin metal needle, holding it in place for a second before pulling away. Damn, he hated doing that. Even though it was now a regular routine.

_BLOOD TOXICITY: 34%_

He raised his eyebrows, alarmed at how quickly the palladium levels had risen since...yesterday. The day he returned from the East coast.

He was in trouble.

* * *

**2 DAYS LATER**

_This is strange._

Pepper studied herself in the mirror, turning and twisting and observing from different angles. Her eyes were narrowed questioningly.

She looked...normal.

When was the last time she looked normal?

"_Gin, I suggest you leave. They're expecting you in twenty minutes._" The voice of Phil Coulson crackled inside her ear.

She nodded, though Phil wasn't present. "Yes, I know. Thanks, Coulson. Hopefully I'll see you soon."

Looking at her reflection one last time, she turned from the mirror and walked through her new apartment, grabbing the keys, purse, and notebook on the kitchen counter. She stopped mid step and stared at the purse curiously, holding it in both her palms. She couldn't remember the last time she carried a purse on her shoulder. Besides the necessary "women" things, she wasn't even confident of what to put inside of it...

In fact, she wasn't confident about numerous things regarding this mission. Including her soon-to-be boss, if everything went well. Did he live up to the detailed descriptions Fury provided? The news articles and Youtube videos, the debriefings?

She would soon find out. And when she did, she would be able to handle it. She'd dealt with worse things before. In hindsight, this operation was just one tiny thread woven in the canvas of her life. Cheesy and irritating metaphor, but true.

With that in mind she hustled out the door, striding down the air conditioned hallway that led to the elevators. Soon she was in the lobby and pushing past the revolving doors outside. She could hear the ocean in the distance, the screams and shouts of the people gathered on the beach.

As a person who had been completely by her lonesome in the months prior, she would have preferred being located some place away from civilization. But she was ordinary now. A business woman from Legal. _Shy, attractive, and innocent,_ just as Fury told her to be. She supposed she had to get used to this.

Now, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren parked in the apartment building's parking lot was something she'd _gladly_ get used to.

She approached it, raising the driver's door above her head in awe and situating herself inside. Everything was sleek, black, shiny. She shut the door, deposited her things on the passenger seat, and slid her hands over the wheel, humming in excitement at the thought of booking it down the coast.

_Focus. You should really try not to kill yourself before something this crucial to the mission. Keep your mind focused on the task at hand. Oh no, it's 1:40?_

According to her own calculations, it took thirty minutes to get to Tony Stark's mansion.

She could get there in fifteen.

* * *

"The notary's here, can you please come sign the transfer paperwork?" Natasha called, entering her boss's gym. Ridiculous 90's beat music was playing from the stereo, providing outstanding inspiration for Tony Stark and Happy Hogan. Both were boxing in the large ring located in the center of the room.

"I'm on Happy time," Tony responded, throwing numerous hits at his bodyguard. Happy grunted, trying to throw in something of his own, but Tony expertly thrust his elbow into his nose and he stumbled backwards.

"Auh!"

"Sorry."

"What the hell was that?"

Tony bounced on his heels energetically. "It's called mixed martial arts. It's been around for...three weeks. It's new."

"It's called _dirty boxing_ and there's nothing new about it."

"Alright, come on, come on."

They continued fighting while Natasha placed herself on the couch, taking out her Blackberry and typing a message.

_We're ready whenever you are_.

She sent it and waited.

A few seconds passed before a lean figure approached the entrance way, stepping around the corner and walking into view. She kept her head up, professionally studying the large room and the two men fighting in the middle of it.

Happy noticed her after a few moments, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. Tony stopped what he was doing and curiously followed his gaze.

_Holy shit_.

He studied her as she made her way towards Natasha, her slender arms hanging neatly at her sides even while holding a leather notebook. Her strawberry colored hair hung in long curls, a white blouse covered her delicate shoulders and exposed her arched neck, and her long legs slid beneath sleek black pants. _Damn_.

His eyes stayed on her when he reached Natasha, who called out to him, "I promise you this is the _only_ time I'll ask you to sign over your company."

The two women faced each other professionally, and the new one was so...tall. She gracefully flipped open her notebook and asked something of his assistant quietly, who reached for a pen and nodded.

Happy noticed Tony was distracted and hit the back of his boss's head. Tony swiveled around and Happy shook his glove at him accusingly.

"Lesson one: never take your eye off the ball-"

Tony rounded a kick at his chest and then proceeded to serially hit his chest, only satisfied when he heard the bell _ding_ above them.

Happy threw off his helmet. "That's it, I'm done."

Tony grabbed his water bottle and turned back to the two women, who had looked up at the sudden noise. He pointed at the new one and raised both eyebrows.

"What's your name, lady?"

She raised her head in acknowledgement. "Potts. Pepper Potts."

_Pepper Potts._

He gestured his arms towards the boxing ring. "Front and center, come into the church."

Natasha crossed her arms. "No, you're seriously not going to ask her-"

"If it pleases the court. Which it does."

Pepper turned to Natasha and smiled. "It's no problem." She turned and started to make her way towards the ring, much to Tony's delight.

Natasha studied her retreating back with distaste.

Tony held the water bottle between his teeth and raised one of the colored ropes, offering Pepper an easier way in. Pepper, after slipping off heels that Tony _very_ much approved of, gracefully hoisted herself on the mat, ducking and emerging slowly from underneath the held rope until they were facing each other. Tony was taller than her, but only by an inch.

They studied each other. The woman held her hands behind her back. Tony took a swig out of his bottle, his eyes on her the entire time.

Pepper smirked slightly.

Tony lowered the bottle and raised his eyebrows, fighting his own smile. "What?"

"I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Stark."

_She's heard_ _a lot about me? Is that a good thing?_

_Probably not._

Pepper continued to turn her lips at him, a glint of humor in her blue eyes. Tony was fascinated by it, but he didn't want to appear like an idiot, so he shifted his gaze to Happy.

"Can you, uh, give her a lesson?"

He climbed out of the ring and landed on the floor, heading towards his PA to discuss things. Specifically, to discuss her.

He planted himself next to Natasha, crossing his arms and facing the ring again. Happy and Pepper were facing each other, shaking hands and smiling as if they were long time friends.

"Who is she?" Tony asked in a low tone, refusing to pull his eyes away.

Natasha exhaled through her nose. "_She_ is from Legal, and potentially a _very_ expensive sexual harassment lawsuit if you keep ogling her like that."

"I need an assistant, _boss_. Don't I?" Tony said, smirking as Pepper and Happy laughed at something that was said.

"Yes," Natasha muttered impatiently. "and I've got three excellent potential candidates who are lined up and ready to meet you."

Tony shrugged. "I don't have time to meet, I need someone right now- I feel like it's urgent."

Natasha glared at him. "No, it's not."

Tony ignored her, sitting back and enjoying watching the interaction in front of them.

Happy was smiling excitedly, his helmet back on. "You ever boxed before?"

Pepper nodded. "I have, yes."

"Like, Thai Bo? Booty-boot camp? Crouch? Something like that?"

Pepper smiled. "Well, no-"

"How do I spell your name, Pepper?" Tony called from the couch, turning for his flattop computer.

"P-O-T-T-S." She called quietly.

"What, are you going to google her now?" Natasha asked in disdain.

Tony scrolled through Pepper Potts's background information, his eyes widening.

_Jesus. Fluent in French, Italian, Russian, and Latin? Who speaks Latin? ...And she modeled in _Tokyo. Tokyo, Japan.

He compulsively leaned forward at the picture displayed on the screen. Pepper Potts's body was laid on a furry white blanket, dressed in a black satin bra and dark fishnet leggings. He almost choked on his own saliva.

He looked up to see Pepper studying him, hands on her hips and her head turned away from Happy.

The bodyguard playfully went to bump her when he saw that she was distracted. "Rule number one: never take your eye off your opponent-"

Pepper tensed, turning sharply and wrapping her elegant fingers around his fist. She swiftly kicked her body into the air, twisted and wrapped both legs around his neck, and brought them both down to the mat in a graceful somersault. Happy's body slammed against the ground, Pepper effectively pinning him.

"Oh my God! Happy!" Natasha brought a hand to her mouth. Tony could only stare.

Happy struggled to get out of Pepper's hold, flailing his arms around. Pepper immediately let him go and sprang to her feet, looking just as surprised as Natasha.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Hogan. You startled me-"

Tony jumped from the couch, and was now striding towards the ring with one arm extended towards Pepper.

"_That's_ what I'm talking about."

Happy scrambled to his feet, his t-shirt soaked with sweat. "I slipped," he grunted.

"You did?" Tony rang the bell twice. "Looked like a T.K.O to me."

Pepper looked at Happy worriedly, finally turning and swinging under the ropes before dropping to the ground. She put her heels back on and straightened to face Tony, not even short of breath.

"I need your impression," she instructed.

_Incredibly, startlingly beautiful_. _Sexy. Smart._ "You...have a quiet reserve-"

Pepper smiled slyly. "I meant your finger print."

She pulled the notebook from behind her and Tony pressed his thumb where she pointed, wiggling it around comically. He could tell Pepper was suppressing a laugh as he did so.

Why did he like the idea of making her laugh?

When he was done, she snapped the notebook shut and her arms dropped back to her side. "It was very nice to meet you," she stated.

He smiled crookedly. "You-ahem-you, too."

She started to turn, but he managed to say something else. "For the record, Happy _did_ slip. Just to clear things up."

Pepper tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "That's what I thought."

Suddenly Natasha appeared, looming between them almost menacingly. Pepper stepped back, causing Tony's smile to falter the tiniest bit, and cleared her throat.

"Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

Tony blinked. "Th-that will be all, Ms. Potts. Thank you."

Pepper nodded at Natasha politely as she strode past. Three pairs of eyes followed her as she left the gym, two of them amused and admiring, one of them holding slight malice.

"I want one," Tony said to no one in particular.

"No." Natasha responded simply.


	3. Monaco, part I

_Thank you to whoever took the time to review._

**Disclaimer: ****Everything belongs to Marvel respectively. Some dialogue/scenarios are taken from IM2.**

* * *

**7:30 A.M**

**LAX Private jet terminal**

**Los Angeles, **

**CA**

One not-so-peculiar thing Tony Stark noticed after Pepper Potts left was that he wanted her. Not sexually, of course. He just wanted her as an assistant. Okay, there was some sexual-wanting, but mostly not.

He called Legal maybe half a day after she left the mansion.

Sure, he tried to focus on other things, like creaming Happy again in the boxing ring or signing papers Natasha shoved down his throat, but at the end of the day she dominated a large portion of the space in his mind. Her legs. Her hair. Her neck. Her heels.

His now former assistant was not happy about Tony's decision, whatsoever. She made that _very_ clear, not in words, but in facial expressions. Her signature scowl of distaste once he told her that he planned on hiring Pepper was something seared onto his brain, not because he didn't like it, but because he _loved_ it. Getting Natasha upset was something he enjoyed thoroughly. Maybe that was one of the things he was going to miss about Miss Romanoff.

Although he was very much looking forward to seeing Pepper Potts.

_It's only simple attraction_. Which was true. He just wanted something nice to look at around the office. He wanted pleasant company, not the kind of company that made him want to tear his hair out in rage. He wasn't going to even attempt to have sex with her. That didn't mean he didn't _want_ to, he just wasn't interested in being that type of person anymore. Hadn't been for what seemed like a long time.

After he called Legal, talked to numerous jack asses whose voices all sounded identical, and discussed what amount of money she would cost, it was confirmed that Ms Potts would be his new assistant. He had to admit he smiled for a while, staring at nothing but his hands, but he realized he was being pathetic and went back to work.

Now, a day later, his car was pulling into a private terminal at LAX with the sun beating down harshly on the vast plateau of pavement. His shiny new PA was standing at the foot of the portable stairs that led to his jet, and he studied her from behind the safety of the tinted windows.

Her light red hair was down again today, except a strand of it was pinned to the side of her head. The legs, _her_ legs looked heavenly under a dark blue dress.

He liked the way it hugged her figure. He liked it a lot.

The car came to a stop a mere few feet away from her and his jet, and then he was out and striding towards her like the confident man that he was. She watched him approach, acknowledged his "Miss Potts," but stepped aside as he bounded up the jet stairs. She followed him silently, Happy behind her, and the three of them walked aboard.

Tony wasted no time before he looked at her over his shoulder once they entered the main cabin.

"Welcome, my dear, to your first flight on _Stark International and Highly Sophisticated Airlines_. There are _numerous_ things you can do on this plane. Sleep, eat, drink, watch TV, movies-"

"Sex," Happy offered blandly behind them, wincing in pain as he set down the portable Mark IV suitcase.

Tony put his hands behind his back and pursed his lips. "That, too."

Pepper smiled. "Thank you for hiring me, Mr. Stark." She walked forward and offered her petite hand, which he took in his own. They shook. She stepped back and turned to address Happy with an embarrassed expression on her lightly freckled face. "Happy. Sorry about what happened in the ring..."

Happy, mildly surprised that she brought the subject up, shook his head and frowned. "Oh. It's completely fine."

"Are you sure? I can give you a free massage to help with your shoulder."

The bodyguard stopped and looked at her curiously. "How'd you know my shoulder was hurting?"

Pepper crossed her arms. "The technique I used on you was something designed to cause the deltoid muscle a tremendous amount of pain. I didn't do it that hard, thankfully, but-"

Tony coughed loudly. "So. Miss Potts. Would you like a drink?"

Pepper turned away, while Happy stared at her back in utter amazement. "No, thank you, Mr. Stark. I think that we should-"

"Tony."

"What?"

"It's not Mr. Stark, it's Tony."

She nodded. "Tony. I was just about to suggest that we go over your terms and conditions."

Tony made a _hmm_ noise, a clear sign that he was not paying attention anymore, and made his way towards one of the polished tables near the windows. He waved a flight attendant over and ordered a drink for himself.

"Terms and conditions about our relationship," Pepper said slowly, amused at how quickly he decided he didn't want to listen.

That _definitely_ got Tony's attention. He swiveled in his chair and raised his eyebrows.

"Relationship, huh?"

A voice sounded through the speakers and clarified they were ready for takeoff. Pepper walked over to the table, taking a seat across from her boss and buckling herself in.

"I mean your requirements of me as your personal assistant. Routines, dislikes, past events I need to be aware of."

She already knew everything she needed to know about him; she was asking so that no suspicions about thoroughness would be raised.

Tony frowned and cleared his throat. "I'm more of an 'every day is a wonderful surprise' kind of person. No routine. I take life _very _seriously."

Pepper smiled. "I'm sure you do."

Tony quirked his lips and looked at her. "I guess I dislike chocolate."

"Chocolate?"

"Yeah."

They remained silent as the jet flew down the asphalt, lifting it's wheels and flying up into the blue sky. Once the plane was in the air and making a steady course for their destination, a flight attendant emerged from the bar and brought Tony his order. She smiled and placed it in front of him slowly, almost seductively. Tony took the drink, ignoring her, and automatically tipped it back.

When he was finished, he slammed it onto the table and studied his new assistant.

"You know what I think?" He asked.

Pepper raised her eyebrows.

"I think that _you_ are going to make an excellent PA."

"Well, thank you, Tony," she said, simulating flattery.

He gave her a crooked smile. "You're welcome, Miss Potts."

"I suppose if I have to call you Tony, then you should call me Pepper."

Tony twisted his lips. "Pepper. How the hell did you get that name?"

"My mother loved peppers. She put them in nearly everything my siblings and I ate." Pepper lied easily.

"Your mom was a cook?"

She lied again. "No. She loved doing it, though. One of her favorite things, actually."

"Do _you_ like to cook?"

"Not really. Do you?"

"Would rather stab myself in the face with a fork."

Pepper chuckled. "That bad at it?"

"That bad at it."

Happy, whom was nonchalantly reading a newspaper in front of the enormous flatscreen TV, looked up from his reading. "He's being modest, Pepper. He can boil water pretty well."

Pepper laughed lightly. It was genuine this time.

Tony rolled his eyes and sank further into his chair, propping his feet up on the table between him and his assistant. After a few seconds of fiddling with his thumbs and clucking his tongue, he sighed. "How long do we have before we get there?"

"Approximately eleven hours." Pepper replied pleasantly.

"I'm bored."

"Why don't you read?"

"I don't like to read. It's overrated."

"That's unfortunate."

He frowned. "What is?"

"That you think reading is overrated when it's not, actually. People read books less and less with every generation. I think it's sad."

Tony rested his head against the back of his chair and stared at her in bewilderment. He tilted his head to the side. "This is going to be hard, trying to figure you out. But I'm really good at it when I want to be."

Pepper narrowed her eyes in over exaggerated suspicion. "Is that so?"

He nodded and sipped his drink, fighting a smile.

* * *

Right after Phil confirmed she was Tony Stark's new assistant, Pepper Potts was sent to the Stark Industries H.Q and given an employee manual, mints, and a very large stack of paperwork. She was also told that they were to be attending the annual Monaco Grand Prix the next day, so naturally it took most of her first day on the job to sort everything out, make calls, confirm seats.

There would be an exclusive party, spectacular Mediterranean cuisine, and they would have seats to die for, thanks to her.

Now Tony Stark's private plane was somewhere over the Pacific ocean with her in it and she was already getting flustered with the amount of work she had left to do. She never got flustered. This lead her to believe very firmly that she was not designed for this job. The hours of sitting made her legs twitch, the hours of writing made her hand cramp, and the hours of reading made her eyes burn.

She kept her discomfort very well hid, though. To the outside eye she knew she looked like this was all just a regular routine.

Tony Stark did not seem to be bothered by any of it. He was used to this. Every once in a while Pepper would look up from her work and watch him go about...whatever he did. Sometimes he was talking to Happy, sometimes he was doing something on his phone, sometimes he was staring out the window and twiddling with a drink in his lap. Occasionally she would catch him staring at her, but he would quickly avert his eyes.

She found him odd in a funny way. He was an intriguing person with an intriguing lifestyle. She could tell that he was smart; perhaps from something in his eyes or the way he carried himself. She admired and respected that.

She could also tell he had a sad side, a side that he never intentionally let anyone see. She often picked up on those things in her line of work, and within the first few minutes of meeting Tony it was imminent. However, she knew from many, many years of experience that everyone had a sad side. Everyone.

And she couldn't lie, he excited her. She liked something in their banter and she didn't know why. It felt easy and free to talk with him and he was charming. She liked Happy, too. He was kind and witty enough to keep up with his boss but possessed enough integrity to fend off any ridiculous suggestions. Tony made a lot of ridiculous suggestions, Pepper noticed.

Perhaps the thing that fascinated her the most through all of it was the circle of light in Tony's chest. She knew the story behind it. That was part of her job. But she was mainly curious at how Tony Stark looked and acted as if it never had happened. If Pepper was just a simple person meeting him for the first time, she would never have guessed this man had gotten captured by a terrorist organization almost a year before. He was well experienced in the game of charade.

As was she.

Overall, Pepper Potts decided she liked Tony Stark. She respected him, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't curious to get to know him more.

She debated whether she should be concerned about that or not.

* * *

**MONACO GRAND PRIX**

As soon as his shoe touched the pavement and he stepped out of the car, he was greeted with rays of Mediterranean sun and the sounds of a devoted and enthusiastic crowd-all he had to do was throw up a few peace signs. Tony wasn't foreign to the wave of screams/adoration he received when in public, and as he looked back over his shoulder, it seemed as though Pepper wasn't exactly unaccustomed to it either. She kept her head up and walked effortlessly around the limo as Happy pulled it away, following her new boss (_him_, he thought smugly) into the hotel.

The lobby was great, he guessed. He couldn't remember if this was the same hotel he stayed in last year or if it was an entirely new one because they all looked the same to him, these schmuky five-star places. That and the fact that he was absolutely hammered last time he made this trip. He slowed his pace when he passed the revolving doors so that Pepper could walk beside him, which he could tell surprised her a little.

"What do you think?" He murmured close to her ear.

Pepper smiled. "I'm the one who booked this place, Mr. Stark."

"Right."

Pepper approached the front desk, where one of many concierges were waiting, and Tony Stark followed her because he had nothing else to do.

"Bonjour, Monsier. Est-que tu as un réservation pour Monsier Tony Stark?" Pepper asked smoothly.

"Ah, bien sûr, Madame. Vos dejeunér au huitième étage et voila," the man handed her one room key and smiled.

Pepper put it in her satin clutch purse. "Merci. Bonne journée."

"Et toi."

Tony supposed he should not be so surprised, but he was. He stared at her quizzically through his glasses as they walked toward the elevators. She finally met his gaze and returned a smart look of her own.

"Yes?"

"That was great."

"I thought you spoke French, Mr. Stark."

"Yes, but it's always nice to see a fellow American doing it. Very refreshing."

"I see."

"And for the last time, Ms. Potts, it's-"

"_Tony Stark_!"

Tony turned and was immediately greeted by a group of approaching French girls, giggling and pushing each other while holding pens and paper. He looked at Pepper in a _what-can-I-say_ kind of way and then he slipped effortlessly into the persona of public Tony Stark. He raised his eyebrows comically and proceeded to sign what they shoved shyly at his hands, saying something smart and inducing a collective laugh. He answered their questions, asked some of his own, turned on his charm. Soon more people gathered, bunching around him like a swarm of wasps, and his name was shouted from all different directions in both French and American accents. Quite possibly there was a Canadian in there as well, but that was only Tony's sophisticated guess. After a few minutes, hotel security broke up the crowd, and when they all were finally satisfied with their autographs and reluctantly began walking away, he turned and glanced at Pepper. She hadn't moved from where he left her.

"You'll have to get used to that," he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the elevator indifferently.

Pepper smiled and pressed the 'up' button. "Of course."

* * *

The elevator doors opened and they faced the crowded and immensely popular eighth floor restaurant, _Le Huitième Étage_.

They exited the elevators, Tony first, and walked across expensive carpets, past beautiful views of the race track and the Mediterranean. Pepper was impressed by the prestige, the elegance. It was a beautiful restaurant. They were stopped multiple times by people who knew/didn't know Tony, and after talking for a few minutes, most of them would lean over his shoulder and ask who Pepper was. She would of course smile professionally and introduce herself as Tony's new assistant, and they would smile in return. She mentally marked all the smiles that were genuine because it was always nice to receive a genuine smile when you weren't used to them.

A few times Tony would slow down, place a hand at the small of her back, and she would realize that he was posing for a picture. She did her part and smiled sweetly, and after the cameras flashed they would be walking again.

She kept up being polite, and after ten minutes of being introduced and photographed she excused herself and went to look for someone who could prepare their reserved table. Once that was done she went to look for Tony again. He was nowhere to be found.

She thought quickly. _If I were Tony Stark, where would I be_?

_The bar._

She rounded a corner that brought her to an entirely different section of the restaurant. This part was reserved for the most important people. She made her through the crowd, ignoring every widened eye as she past, and sure enough there was Tony, standing rigidly with a glass of scotch in his hand and talking with Natasha Romanoff. They were both near a table hosting a large bouquet.

Pepper cleared her throat as she approached them and Tony's face almost visibly lightened. Natasha followed his gaze, and when her eyes fell upon Pepper, they narrowed slightly.

"Miss Potts. Nice of you to join me," Tony gave a nod and looked around, pretending to be bored.

"Yes, Miss Potts. Welcome to _Stark Industries_." Natasha offered a hand and the two women shook.

Pepper smiled. "Congratulations, again."

Natasha smirked and kept her voice completely monotone. "Oh, thanks. I'm just glad I was upgraded."

Tony swiveled his head and stared, openly surprised. Pepper ignored the insult, satisfying herself with the image of teaching this girl some manners the best way she knew how, and turned to face Mr. Stark.

"The race should begin in half an hour, so would you like to find a seat?"

Tony jumped at the out. "Great. I'll be seeing you, Miss Romanoff." He didn't even look back at his former PA as he headed towards the bar. Pepper followed him.

"Did I happen to mention that you look fantastic?" Tony asked as he settled against the counter. He gestured at the bartender for another drink.

Pepper put her hands behind her back. "Why, thank you very much."

"But that's unprofessional. What's on the docket?"

"You have a nine-thirty dinner."

He nodded and sipped his drink. "Perfect. I'll be there at eleven."

Suddenly, a loud voice rose over the general chatter of the crowd. "_Anthony_. Is that you?"

Immediately Tony lowered his glass and averted his eyes to Pepper, acute annoyance spreading across his face. "My least favorite person on _earth_-"

A blonde haired man in a tan suit approached the two of them, hosting an arrogant smile that showed off whitened teeth. Tony turned and offered a hand. "-Justin Hammer."

The man shook it and patted him on the back, his squinted eyes framed by expensive thick glasses. He laughed hotly. "Hey pal, how you doing? You know, you're not the only rich guy here with a fancy car."

He swiveled his head, causing his blow dried hair to flip, and pointed at a thin blonde woman approaching behind him. "Christine Everhart from _Vanity Fair_. You guys know each other?"

Once the woman was standing beside Hammer, Tony assessed her. "Yes, roughly."

Christine raised her eyebrows in amusement and nodded. "Roughly."

Pepper smiled. So, _this_ must be one of Tony's pre-Afghanistan conquests. She felt slightly rude for giving her that label. Before she could introduce herself, Justin Hammer was offering a hand.

"Hi there, my name is Justin Hammer. You've probably heard of me. Hammer Tech?"

"Of course. Pepper Potts." Pepper replied, making good on the shake.

Hammer turned to Christine. "BTW, big story: Tony Stark's _new_ PA. Congratulations."

Christine smiled. "I know, I know. And my editor will _kill _me if I don't grab a quote from you for a Powerful Women issue. Can I-"

Pepper nodded. "Oh, sure."

Justin looked at the two of them indifferently. "Um, she's actually doing a big spread on me for _Vanity Fair_. I thought I'd throw her a bone, you know."

Christine had the decency to look slightly embarrassed, and no one could blame her. Pepper, pretending to be impressed, nodded. "Right. Well, she did quite a...spread on Tony last year."

Tony swiveled his head and looked at his assistant with raised brows, impressed that she knew that fact. He shook it off and slyly looked back at Hammer, leaning himself further against the bar counter. "And she wrote a story as well."

Pepper smiled faintly. "Very impressive. Very well done."

"That was good." Tony nodded.

Now there was an awkward silence, one that they both enjoyed together. After several seconds, Pepper finally cleared her throat and straightened.

"Excuse me, I'm going to go see if everything's set for Mr. Stark. It was nice meeting both of you."

"Don't leave me," Tony murmured. Too late, she was already walking away.

"Hey buddy, how you doing?" Hammer addressed him now that he was alone, putting a hand on his shoulder. Tony cringed at the proximity, placing his sunglasses on. "Please, this is-oh, you can stop-not-"

Christine hurriedly pulled out a small recording device and pressed the record button. "So, this is the first time that you guys have seen each other-hey, you guys-" The _Vanity Fair_ reporter put on a dazzling fake smile, trying to pry the two's attention away from the other.

They finally addressed her, Tony still squirming, and Christine launched into her set of questions. "Listen, it's the first time you've seen each other since the Senate."

"Ah," Tony shrugged Justin off. "since he got his contract revoked."

Justin's fake smile faltered. "Well, actually it's on hold-"

Tony, desperate to establish some space, began walking for the tables set near the windows overlooking the city. "That's not what I heard. What's the difference between _hold_ and _cancelled_? The truth?"

Christine placed the recorder in front of Justin as they walked along.

Hammer cleared his throat. "The truth? Ah, the truth is-why don't we put that away? The truth is I'm actually hoping to present something at your expo."

Tony held back an eye roll as the three of them sat down at a spare table. "Well, if you invent something that works, I'll make sure I get you a slot."

Justin began to laugh uncomfortably, turning to Christine in an effort to convince her he already had a slot, and then Tony was being tapped on the shoulder by his new assistant. His corner table was ready. He jumped up from his seat gratefully and walked off after her, turning around and calling, "Hammer needs a slot, Christine!"

Tony spun and faced Pepper, smirking. "You like him?"

Pepper glanced sideways as they weaved through the growing throngs of people. "Justin Hammer?"

"That's the one."

She hesitated. "My opinion's irrelevant."

"Knew it. You hate him."

"No. No, not at all. Perhaps I just-"

"_Dislike_ him." Tony smiled.

One side of Pepper's mouth curved upwards in amusement. "Well, I suppose that's one way of putting it."

They both remained silent as they walked across the restaurant. Tony was occasionally patted by friends or coworkers walking by. Finally, Pepper directed them to a corner table with a brilliant view of the track.

It was then that Tony realized he hadn't checked his palladium levels in several hours. He needed to. He stood from his chair nearly seconds after he sat down in it and excused himself, making his way through the crowd in search of the bathroom. Once he found it, he quietly slipped inside and stood at the sink, pricking his finger on the familiar metal needle, and waited for the results.

_BLOOD TOXICITY: 53%_

He shouldn't have been surprised. Jarvis had told him from the beginning that palladium didn't just disappear. It accumulated. Still, he stared down at his finger, slightly troubled, because he knew in that moment he was most certainly dying.

He found himself looking at his reflection, leaning into it, studying his mother's brown eyes and his father's chin. He assessed himself for several seconds.

"Got any other bad ideas?"


	4. Monaco, part II

_Thank you to everyone for all the support and you need to thoroughly enjoy this for the sake of **my** sanity, maybe yours._

******Disclaimer: ****Everything belongs to Marvel respectively. Some dialogue/scenarios are taken from IM2.**

* * *

**7:50 A.M**

**Monaco Grand Prix**

**Monte-Carlo,**

**Monaco**

Christine Everhart sat with Justin Hammer at an otherwise empty table, surrounded by the bustle and chatter of Monte-Carlo's finest, pretending to be fascinated with the endless drone of words emitting from his mouth. She sat the way a professional should sit, slim legs crossed and a recording device held out in front of an even slimmer torso, occasionally raising her eyebrows and smiling when it seemed as though Justin was reaching a theme in the conversation that he intended to be humorous.

But at a certain point, his words fizzled out of focus and the television behind him seemed to spur with life. She felt her eyes gravitate toward it, mindful that Justin was still speaking, and when she glanced at it she nearly froze in surprise.

Tony Stark was on the screen.

And a camera was following him as he was making his way through a thick swarm of people for the race track, donned in a racing suit.

"Listen. Tony and I...I _love_ Tony Stark. Tony loves me. We're not competitors. Him being out of the picture created a tremendous opportunity for Hammer Industries, you know?" Justin Hammer looked up from his gesticulations. "Everything that Tony and I..." he trailed off upon noticing the slightly widened eyes of the reporter wandering discreetly, sliding from him to the screen behind him. He turned around, still trying to form a sentence, and then he was met with the supercilious image of Tony Stark.

The billionaire was standing in the middle of the race track amidst numerous cars and people, saying something in response to a question asked behind the camera. "Well, what's the use of _having _and _owning _a race car if you don't drive it?" After the translator behind him finished speaking, applause and hoots of agreement were drawn from the massive crowd gathering around the area and Tony nodded at himself like he fully agreed with their admiration.

Hammer turned back to Christine. "Is he _driving_?"

* * *

It had been at least twenty-five minutes since she had last seen Tony, and based on what she knew about him, Pepper could safely assume that this wasn't good. She sat alone for the better part of that time, only seriously considering getting up to find him when Natasha Romanoff approached the table. Pepper acknowledged her presence by offering a slight nod as the woman seated herself.

"Where's the big man?" Natasha smiled.

Pepper inwardly clenched her teeth at the blatant insincerity of this woman's facial expressions. "I'm not entirely sure. He said that he was going to the bathroom."

Natasha plucked the folded napkin in front of her and placed it on her lap. "Well, how long has he been gone?"

Pepper opened her mouth, ready to respond, when she caught sight of the television screen above their table. She thought nothing of it at first, taking a quick look and then glancing back at Natasha, but soon she comprehended what she had seen.

She slowly turned her head back to the television screen, where Tony Stark was jumping into a Stark Industries race car.

She hid her surprise well, but Natasha must have noticed her brief look of astonishment. She followed Pepper's line of vision suspiciously, and nearly jumped out of chair at the sight of her former boss preparing to take part in the race.

She swiveled her head back to Pepper, her eyes becoming hard. "Pepper. Did you know about this?"

"This is the first that I've known of it," Pepper replied, her eyes still glued to the screen. _Not good. Fury will murder me if this gets bad_. _Not good_.

"This-this _cannot_ happen." Natasha growled, pointing a finger at the window next to them overlooking the track.

"Absolutely, I understand. I'm going to find Happy, no need to worry." Pepper stood quickly from her chair and began running in search for an isolated place to use the phone.

* * *

"You know what, can you excuse me?" Christine impatiently began gathering her things and countering Hammer's protests with promises of the continuation of the interview, all the while continuously glancing at the screen to see if this was truly happening. "I'll be right back!" She called, hustling away with a phone tucked under her ear.

After watching her leave, Hammer turned back to the television. Tony Stark was seated in a car, his gloved hands clenching and unclenching the wheel. His gaze wandered to the camera filming him, fixing it with a narrowed stare for the sake of dramatic presentation. He raised a finger and pointed it right at the screen, right at Justin Hammer.

Justin narrowed his eyes. His hands clenched the seat.

* * *

Pepper was now hustling out of the bathroom, snapping her phone shut. She hurried back to the table where Natasha still sat, and stopped in front of her chair.

"I called Happy, he'll be here any minute."

Natalie was sitting absolutely still, silently fuming. While Pepper was away she had fixed her hair into a high bun, and Pepper induced that this was something she did when she was flustered. "God dammit. This is going to be ugly later, Miss Potts."

Pepper fitted her hands together. "I'm well aware, Miss Romanoff."

The two women ceased talking as the sounds of engines revving emanated from behind the television. They turned in unison, and Pepper watched as cars that were facing the start line purred restlessly, her eyes fixated on Tony's blue racer. The race was about to begin.

Audible sighs of frustration could be heard from both women as a button flashed red, signaling _go_.

The cars sprang to life, speeding away from the camera and around the first corner, accompanied by the cheers of the massive crowd gathered on bleachers along the way. Pepper felt uneasy, and it only accumulated as the seconds ticked by. She felt it throughout the first five minutes of the race, sitting there alongside Natasha uncomfortably, waiting for Happy to show. She didn't know exactly what she would do once he arrived, but there was a plan. That was all that mattered.

She was about to call the bodyguard again, straightening to leave, when the surprised voice of the commentator brought her back to the screen.

"What is this!?" The voice exclaimed in French. "There seems to be a man _walking_ onto the track while the race is still happening! A security guard! Pierre, do you see this?"

Pepper narrowed her eyes in confusion as the screen switched from one camera angle to another, and then she saw it.

There _was_ a man, opening the gate and stepping onto the track. He had a strong build and an orange uniform, signaling that he was indeed part of the security staff. Pepper widened her eyes as he made his way to the center of the track, throwing his helmet to the ground and walking nonchalantly as if there weren't powerful vehicles speeding by at one hundred miles an hour.

This was bad.

"What the hell," Natasha whispered, her hands clenching her seat. By now crowds were gathering around all of the televisions in the restaurant, collectively astonished.

Pepper nearly sprinted out of the room when the man ripped open the front of his uniform, exposing his chest.

There was an arc reactor strapped to it.

His clothing began to peel away as he strode, and with every inch fallen to the ground, a unique circuiting of wires that clung to his arms and chest were revealed. The wires were burning the fabric and causing it to fall from his torso and onto the pavement. When his wrists were uncovered, thick wires unfolded from somewhere along his arm and fell to the floor, and soon they were snapping and sparking with long white coils of electricity.

The camera zoomed out frantically as a race car emerged from around the corner, headed towards the man at an unstoppable furious pace.

Pepper had seen many strange and frightening things in her lifetime, but she couldn't comprehend what happened then. It happened within seconds. The psychotic man braced himself at the approaching car, pulled his arm back, and flung it over his head, taking the wires along. They sliced through the air and onto the car that was now only feet away.

Immediately the front half of the vehicle split in two and the sound of shredded and torn metal filtered through the screen. The captivated audience gasped as the car flipped onto its nose, skidding across the pavement with a horrendous screeching. It flipped into the air, flying for an impossible amount of time. Finally, it slammed onto the pavement and began to tumble helplessly over itself, only stopping when it collided with the portable walls that closed off the track.

The crowd outside was in a complete panic. The people inside the restaurant let out shrieks of surprise, unsure as to what to do. Pepper's eyebrows were knitted as she turned to scan the place, desperately trying to see if Happy had come. Right at that moment he emerged from around the corner, carrying a portable red suitcase with a solemn expression. She didn't hesitate to stand from her seat and rush towards him.

"This is bad, this is really bad. We need to hurry." Happy murmured, turning and striding with her to the elevators. Pepper nodded wordlessly, halting to a stop and stabbing the button impatiently in order for the doors to open.

Once they were inside and descending to the lobby, Pepper turned to him. "Is the car ready?"

Happy nodded. "It's parked outside."

* * *

Tony Stark knew this was a bad idea from the get-go.

But honestly, it had started out well. He felt charged with an energy that he hadn't had in a long time, pumped with a new kind of adrenaline as the red light signaled go. He felt very calm and focused as he dodged between them all, swerving at a speed that he knew no one else in his circle of friends would approve of besides him. He liked racing, he decided.

About five minutes in, as he rounded another bend and passed another racer, he paid no attention to the security guards that were waving frantically at him behind the netted walls. He assumed they were cheering, and the other drivers did too.

It happened quickly.

He narrowed his eyes in surprise when he rounded another corner and saw a man standing in the middle of the race track. He blanched at what the stranger was wearing, because it couldn't be what he thought it was. It couldn't be.

That was all he could observe before the man was bringing what looked like sparking wires down on his car. Tony's eyes widened and then he was in the air, thrown against his seat as he soared and flipped completely.

Vaguely he could hear the screams and frantic shouts as the car landed on its belly some feet away, catching some strewn metal debris under its tires and flipping over again, screeching across the pavement and slamming into what must have been another car while still on its back. Tony's body jerked and his head hit the back of the seat at the car's violent movements, but he kept his eyes closed. Strangely, for an instant, he thought of his parents.

When everything stilled, he opened his eyes slowly, struggling to move against the seatbelt, one arm supporting him as it pressed onto the pavement. He was upside down.

_Shit, what happened._ His brain was spinning with pain, and he hung there, completely stunned. The crowd's screams were now deafening, as were the ringing in his ears and the thrum of his heart beat. _Christ. What the hell. _He grabbed his helmet and pried it off, beginning to feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable.

After his head was freed, he looked around in a daze, a warm trickle of blood dripping down the side of his face. Despite the screams and sirens and his slightly blurred vision, there was an eery quiet above the pavement surrounding him. Tony had a near perfect memory, he knew what he had seen was real, and so he could bet that there was in fact a man somewhere on the other side of the car.

Tony became very afraid. He didn't like that feeling.

It intensified when he heard another race car round the bend, the growl of its engine causing the pavement to vibrate. The driver must have seen the man standing there, because Tony could heard the sudden screech of tires as he attempted to slow down. Immediately there was a blast of hot air that even he could feel, an explosion, and he guessed that it was because of the friction against the pavement. The racer was blown into the air, flames coiling up around its body as it soared. Tony watched helplessly as it flipped through the air, landing a few feet from where he was pinned.

He had to get out of the damned seat. Now.

* * *

"Car!" Happy screeched, clenching his seat in fright. "Car, Miss Potts!"

Pepper gripped the wheel tighter, turning it slightly and allowing them to avoid a head-on collision with a passing race car. They were going against the traffic, something she somewhat regretted now, but it was the fastest way.

Another car zoomed towards them, beeping frantically, and Pepper evaded it with ease. The man next to her didn't seem to think so. He griped the leather of the passenger seat and shouted, "Jesus! Are you trying to _kill _me?"

"Happy." Pepper snapped over the rev of the engine below them, eyes never leaving the track. "Let me focus on driving, okay?"

The body guard fell into a reluctant silence, and Pepper continued to increase the speed. They were going as fast as sanely possible, but it still wasn't enough. Something was happening, and they both could tell.

Happy didn't like the fact that she was driving, that was for sure, but Pepper appreciated the fact that he let her. _Let her_ she supposed was one way of putting it.

"Are we almost there?" Happy asked breathlessly, wiping sweat off his forehead as they sped through scarce traffic.

"Almost," Pepper replied.

* * *

Tony managed to get out of the seat. It took lots of squirming, but he did it.

From a hidden spot behind a mangled part of the race car, he could see the man did have an arc reactor. An unstable one, but one all the same. He seemed to have had transmitted it to another outside power source, because there were sparking wires running down his arms and puddling on the ground, transferring deadly amounts of electricity. As the man approached his car steadily, Tony crouched lower behind the scattered debris and slowly, strategically put distance between the two of them. The man couldn't see that he wasn't in the vehicle, and Tony was grateful. It gave him time.

He kept out of sight, positioning himself so that he was behind the lunatic, and he began to search for something he could use as a weapon. Immediately he spotted a piece of metal that must have been part of the other car's door, and he picked it up off the ground soundlessly.

The guy was now standing right at his car, and without hesitation he pinwheeled his muscular arm and sliced the wires through the spot where Tony would be had he not escaped. When the car split in half with a shriek and the man saw the seat was empty, he craned his neck forward in confusion. Tony used the opportunity to step forward and land a solid blow to the back of his head.

In an instant the man recovered, turning around and slicing his wires through the air blindly. One caught the piece of door Tony held and he was thrown backwards onto the ground. He landed on the pavement, air escaping his lungs, and the weapon flew out of his hands. Now he was defenseless.

He didn't have time to think of another plan. The man had a pissed expression on his face, and with a powerful swing he brought the wires down again. Tony rolled to the side; the wires barely missed him. The man brought the other set of wires down, and Tony rolled again, sitting up and poised to run.

The man bared his teeth, and Tony frantically attempted to get out of the line of fire. He scrambled backwards, and the sparking tentacles landed between his spread legs.

He sprung from the ground and began to run for the shelter of the other car, but the man had other plans. Just as soon as Tony covered a few feet he felt a searing hot pain in his leg, and with a cry he was thrown off his feet for the second time. He landed on his side, several feet away from his pursuer and facing what was left of one of the race cars. But he didn't try to get up and run. He waited, despite the immediate pain spreading throughout the arm he had landed on, searching for something that would help him escape while remaining motionless.

He found it. His eyes traveled down a trail of dripping gasoline to a crumpled but intact car mirror. In it he saw the man, slowly walking towards his limp body with a scowl. His arms began to rotate, taking the wires along, and Tony felt a wave of fear as the wires sliced through the air. The sound, the sharp crack of lightening, was just as frightening. He kept very still, resisting the instinct to flee.

Finally, the man snarled in impatience. With one powerful swing he whipped his wires through the air and onto Tony's still form, but Tony had the advantage. He sprang from the ground just before the man brought down his weapon, narrowly missing the onslaught, and began to run for coverage. He didn't get far before he was blown forwards by the force of the explosion of the car as the electricity ignited the gasoline.

He recovered somewhat quickly and was on his feet, knees bent so that he was ready to run if he had to. He suddenly felt a warmth spreading on his arm and looked down distractedly.

_ Oh, I'm on fire_.

He batted at the small flame on his sleeve, trying to douse it and at the same time keep tabs on the man walking towards him.

He was approaching him with a unfeigned smirk, casually stepping through a bout of flames and slowly entering the area where Tony stood warily, as if trying to savor the moment-a predator teasing its prey. Tony was running out of ideas, and with a burst of panic he realized he didn't have anything to do but run.

Suddenly a car horn honked frantically, and Tony almost sagged his shoulders in relief at the sight of Happy's Jaguar flying around the corner and towards them at an alarming speed. The relief quickly faded when he deducted where it was headed: straight for where the man stood, meaning straight for where _he_ stood, and without hesitation he flung himself onto the fence next to him just as the car smashed into the man and pinned him against the railing straight below.

Silence. It took a few moments for Tony to do anything but stare, his chest heaving in shock, before dropping to the ground shakily and staggering towards the car.

"Are you okay?" Happy called anxiously, and Tony stumbled toward the drivers window, seriously considering punching him. He ducked his head, but widened his eyes when he saw Pepper instead, glaring at him from behind the wheel. Happy was seated next to her.

He recovered from the surprise quickly and gritted his teeth, placing a shaking hand on the car door frame and addressing the two of them casually. "Oh, hey. I've got a question. A couple, actually."

Pepper's glare didn't soften. She opened her mouth hesitantly, as if not trusting herself to say a word, but finally she clenched her teeth. "What, Tony, is your question?"

Tony was too dazed and tired to analyze her sarcastic tone. Instead he pointed at the limp figure pinned against the chain link fence in front of them, never letting his eyes leave hers. "One, were you trying to hit him or me?"

Pepper blanched. "I was trying to scare him-"

"Because _I can't tell_."

"Happy and I were-"

Tony jabbed a finger in her face. "No no no no no, this wasn't Happy, this was _you-_"

Pepper's grip on the wheel tightened. "Oh, I'm sorry, was that not good enough? Next time would you like me to call you on your phone and give you the warning that I'll be running over the man whose _attacking you-_"

"It was bad security! I was attacked-!"

"Yes! You were attacked! I am perfectly justified-!"

"Justified! That's hilarious-"

"You-you just-"

"Wait, I have to ask you my second question, Miss Potts. Ready? _Why are you driving_?"

"Get in the car, sir!" Happy yelled restlessly from beside Pepper, leaning over and gesturing to the seat behind them.

Pepper's chest was heaving in anger as her and Tony continued to stare at each other. "Listen to him, Mr. Stark. Get in the car."

Tony reared back on his heels and laughed humorously. "_Really_. _You're_ telling _me_ to get in the car? You're ordering me around? That's fucking terrific! For a new PA you sure are-"

And then a low moaning sounded from the front of the car.

Tony backed away from the driver's window, turning his head in surprise when the man's body began to move from where he was slumped against Happy's hood. Pepper and Happy were equally shocked, staring silently through the windshield.

"Mr. Stark," Happy called hurriedly, keeping his eyes on the man. "Get in the car."

"Yep." Tony replied, stepping towards the back seat door and opening it quickly.

There was a brief slash of light, a familiar searing noise, and Tony found himself holding half of the door in his hand, the other half lying on the ground.

Happy let out a yell and started patting Pepper's arm, shouting, "hit him again, hit him again!" Pepper was already there, putting the gear in reverse, backing up just enough and ramming the car into the man's body again. The man looked up lividly, his arms continuing to flail the wires around, even as Pepper drove the car into him multiple times afterwards.

Finally, his aim proved true, and his wires flew onto the vehicle and sliced it almost completely in half.

Tony's eyes widened in fright and he clapped his hands together impatiently, yelling over the noise, "give me the case! The case!"

"Give him the case, Happy!" Pepper shouted.

Happy struggled to sit up in his seat and grabbed it off the car floor, turning and throwing it out the window as far as he could in Tony's general direction.

It landed at Tony's feet, and Pepper and Happy were simultaneously frightened and relieved as they observed a testament out of many to Tony Stark's capability. With practiced ease, Tony shoved his arms inside the mass of metal in the case, straightening and heaving it against his chest. The portable suit enveloped his body, the face plate closed; now he was Iron Man, and Iron Man alone.

Tony turned to the smoking car and put his foot against the frame, pushing his powerful legs so that it skidded away to a safe distance. Then he turned to face the man who was now standing menacingly upright, and he wasn't afraid. This would be over quickly.

The man's face turned sour, and he stomped forward with the full intent of slicing the metal suit in half. Tony swiftly put up a hand, with the full intent of _b__lasting_ him off his feet, but his repulsers didn't fire quick enough and the sparking wires knocked his arm to the side. He grunted and threw up his other hand, but the man anticipated this and soon his other arm was knocked away.

Tony began to rethink his strategy. That was a mistake. The man took advantage of his pause and flicked both wires toward him swiftly, and they wrapped around his neck. Tony fell onto his knees as the light brightened his vision, his titanium hands grabbing and trying to pry the wires off as they attempted to collapse the metal around his neck, and the man smiled in anticipation. With a spectacular amount of strength, he rotated his arms over his head and Tony was flung through the air, where he landed with a crash on the hood of Happy's car.

He was yanked down onto the pavement, his knees landing with a clank on the ground. He needed to get out of this situation before something ugly happened. Before he could think up something clever, he acted on instinct. He rose up on steady feet and one arm twined around one of the wires, and then he was twisting and turning around them, getting tangled and getting closer to the man. The man wasn't sure what to do, only trying to knock Tony off his feet by yanking his hands around.

They were now inches from each other, Tony's suit tangled in sparking cables. The man looked surprised when Tony drew closer, clenching his titanium fist and driving it directly into his jaw. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and soon after Tony flung him over his head in the same fashion he was flung a few moments ago.

The man's back slammed against the pavement. With a gasp, his eyes closed and he became motionless. He wasn't dead, Tony could see his chest moving, and that brought his attention to the circle of light strapped to his body. Tony surged forward on heavy legs, reached down, and yanked it off. The wires surrounding the man's body ceased to snap with electricity.

As people in orange suits rushed forward from the sidelines and cheers from the remaining crowd sounded in the distance, Tony studied the glowing object in his hand darkly. He crushed it in his palm, feeling no relief when it crumpled and died in his grasp. He looked to see security guards carrying the limp form of his attacker away, and it seemed the man had awoken. He studied Tony as he was being dragged along the pavement, spitting blood in his direction with a sneer.

"You lose."

Russian accent, Tony observed.

He turned away sharply, not wanting to acknowledge the chills running down his spine. He looked up to see Pepper watching him, standing some feet away near Happy's destroyed car, a small frown on her lips. Her dress was smudged with black grit and her light red hair was disheveled. Tony looked at her gravely, and a mutual understanding and respect blossomed between the two of them right then. It was subtle, but it happened.

He clanked towards her, Pepper began walking forward so they could meet halfway. Her worried expression disappeared and she sighed when she approached him.

"Mr. Stark, I think that it would be best for you not to race for a while. That's just my professional opinion." She smiled tentatively. A real one.

Tony looked upwards and blew air through his lips dramatically. "You know what, Miss Potts, I think that you're right."

Her smile faded and she leaned her head around the hulk of his body, studying the scene behind him.

"Who was he?" She asked in a low voice.

Tony shook his head and responded, "I don't know,"

Pepper nodded. "Alright. Let's go before Happy passes out."

"Right behind you."


	5. Thoughts On a Couch

_Finally, it's here! Mother of pearl, it's been a while. How're you guys doing? I think we've past the "I'm so sorry" point and now we're at the "give them the chapter and be quiet" point. Thank you so much for your support in what is now known as the Writing Drought. _

_Now that the basics are covered, Collision should start to deter from the original story. Strap yourselves in, this could get bumpy. _

_Here's chapter 5. Enjoy, mutha**fic**as. _

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel respectively. Some dialogue/scenarios are taken from IM2**

* * *

**11:50 p.m**

**Stark Industries jet**

**Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean**

His name was Ivan Vanko. And from what Tony could tell, the man was smart. At least smart enough to recreate an extraordinarily simple but effective version of the arc reactor. And hijack an exclusive sporting event televised worldwide. And almost kill _him_, which, pardon Tony Stark's ever-present ego, is a tough feat.

He recalled in the uneasy quiet that had settled over the main cabin, bumping his fists together absentmindedly, their first verbal interaction from a few hours ago.

_You come from a family of thieves...and butchers._

He knew that. He'd known that for a while. But the thing that unsettled him the most out of this twisted situation was how the hell _this_ guy knew that.

_Speaking of thieves,__ where did you get this design?_

_My father. Antione Vanko._

How was Ivan affected by this? By the Stark family? He wasn't just some foreign schmuck who got his pants pissed on by the industry. This was a man who _knew_ things, things that Tony was sure could prove potentially fatal. He tried not to over think it, but their conversation in the harsh coldness of the cell hit him where it hurt. And that didn't happen too often.

And then, as if _that _wasn't enough, the mother fucker knew about the palladium poisoning-

But he was locked up now. Rotting in a prison. A _French_ prison. Was there a significant difference?

His thoughts were interrupted when the sound of carpeted footsteps approached the main cabin and Pepper Potts stepped into view, having been off in some other section of the plane for the majority of the flight. Tony studied her as she moved to take the cushioned seat across from him, thankful for a distraction from his thoughts.

"Well. That was...interesting." Pepper's voice filled the silence of the cabin. Even though he gathered that she was just talking because she felt she had to, he didn't mind.

He smirked. "Nice first day on the job."

"If that's your definition of 'nice' then we have bigger problems to address."

"Could've been worse."

"Really."

"Yeah. You could've had to change _this_ thing." He wiggled his fingers against the metal embedded in his chest and tried at a smile.

Pepper uncharacteristically widened her eyes. "You...you change it?"

Tony blanched. "Well-yeah. Have to."

"How?"

"It's complicated, but essentially it's like any other electronic device. There's wires and cables. You have to know which ones to yank and which ones to...not yank."

"Oh. I see." She looked down at her Blackberry and wiped the screen with her thumb. She looked mildly troubled.

"Storing that information for later, Potts?"

She nodded. "Of course. Have to keep up with the bossman."

"Right."

They remained in debatably comfortable silence for a while, Pepper thumbing away at her phone, until Happy lumbered in from the hallway. He had a limp, and his forehead sported an impressive gash. Tony guessed it was from when the car split in half.

"Hey," he said.

Happy grunted and gave a short nod. He sank into the chair across the aisle and sighed deeply, his nostrils flaring. "Remind me not to let Pepper drive. Ever."

"Don't let Pepper drive. Ever."

"Thanks, boss."

"Is it hurting more, Happy?" Pepper asked, studying him worriedly.

"Oh, it's about the same."

"I patched you up well though, right?" She asked.

Happy seemed pleased with her concern. "Of course, Pepper. I was just pulling your leg."

Pepper grimaced. "Of course, sorry. I just seem to keep causing you physical pain."

Tony gave a high laugh, one that caused the other two to turn and study him with raised brows, but he ignored them and continued to giggle. After a few seconds, Happy joined in his laughter, the irony being how much it hurt when the vibrations shook his freshly aching shoulder. Pepper studied the two of them, and found it useless to hold back a smile. She let her lips curl pleasantly, and once the laughter died her expression turned blank again.

* * *

While Ivan Vanko may have been detained for the moment, he was no fool. This was how the events were to play out, this was how things were set to unfold, and he was confident, in fact he expected that he would find a way of out this prison.

And once he did, he would act on the promise he whispered to his weakening father moments before his death. He was going to burn the Stark Legacy to the ground, and revel in the destruction it created. Now, he reveled in their conversation from just yesterday. He had gotten under the skin, buried himself deep; he had sensed that as soon as Tony Stark heard him speak. He had a gift with sensing those things.

Despite this gift, what he did not anticipate was how he would escape from this prison. Things did not come so easy to him, they never have. He was suspicious when the guard delivered his meal and he found the bomb hidden within the potatoes.

Things happened very quickly after that. He easily defeated the man who was shoved into his cell, carrying the same ID number on his uniform. He used the key the guard had snuck into the tray slot and it allowed him to open the bar door. The hallway was empty. He defeated the guard, whose yelling annoyed him, and after the alarm sounded he found himself being herded with a bag over his head into the back of a truck.

He did not like being handled this way.

Then he met Justin Hammer, a very annoying man who proceeded to give him a dinner that he enjoyed. Of course, he knew what the strange American was doing. He was attempting bribery. The man's ignorance was palpable and Ivan was not stupid. And he asked for a bird, which he was given.

Essentially, what Justin Hammer wanted was to bring down Tony Stark, in every sense of the word, at the demonstration set to take place in a few months. After watching what happened in Monaco, Justin concluded that was one thing the two of them shared in common.

Soon he was led to a place where Hammer kept his pathetic, amusing exoskeletons that were no better than the robot figures his father let him play with as a child.

He easily broke through the industry software and within it he began to see a foundation to something; the key. He could use the bad security and from it build something greater within the software. Something destructive.

Within his brain, a plan began to form.

He would use what he could to his advantage.

* * *

"While I see your point Mr. Avery, I really don't think Mr. Stark can afford that specific transaction at this point in time. Perhaps when the company is not in complete disarray we can manage an appointment for you and Tiffany. Yes, of course, I will notify him of that. Thank you very much, sir, goodbye."

Pepper dropped the phone onto the cushion beside her and sighed, bringing a wrist to her forehead and attempting to wipe the condensation from her skin. The afternoon sun was settling over the mansion and the humidity it brought was, least to say, uncomfortable. Pepper nearly laughed at herself as she made the observation. She'd been in far worse weather conditions before, she should be able to take this effortlessly.

She lowered her wrist.

In the quiet of the large living area, a quiet that calmed her in a strange and unfamiliar way, she recalled the day's previous events. She could allow herself one thought break.

Well, to start.

She was made aware that Tony Stark harbored an Artificial Intelligence named JARVIS, a computer program he created five years after graduating MIT. That didn't stop her from swiveling around comically when his cultured accent filled the air upon her first step inside the mansion, welcoming her home.

"That's Jarvis," Tony said lightly behind her. "He runs the joint."

Tony then proceeded, after the two of them said goodbye to Happy, to show her around, take her to every room, and even though Pepper had seen pictures and floor layouts, she was impressed and awed with the smooth and modern architecture. His accommodation was a work of art in itself, something she appreciated and admired.

She also noticed that Tony _enjoyed_ giving her the tour, and his modest gesticulations and face movements made it clear that he had a quiet passion for talking about innovation; how what came to be or why he chose to design something a certain way. It interested her. He was very nice to observe.

After an hour and twenty-three minutes, Tony announced he was going to head to the workshop.

"It's my very own candy land downstairs. I spend most of my time there. So...you can head down in a few hours. Check on me. That's what the last one did." He turned and sauntered away from her, trotting down the spiral staircase.

She stared after him, and then sat down on the white couch in front of an enormous wall to wall window that offered a great view of the coast. She studied outside for a minute, and then hesitantly called, "JARVIS?"

"_I am at your service, ma'am._"

"You can call me Miss Potts," she said carefully.

"_Very well, Miss Potts._"

When he did not reply further, she went on, "Is the lap top provided for me here right now? Or is it waiting for me at work?"

"_A Stark Industries employee delivered it here at approximately nine a.m yesterday. I had Dummy transport it to the kitchen._"

She smiled. "Dummy. Another robot."

"_I'm afraid h__e has been around longer than I have._"

"I see." The AI did not respond, and even though it was not necessary per say, it felt wrong not to end the conversation politely.

"Thank you very much, JARVIS."

"_You're welcome, Miss Potts._"

And after she became acquainted with a faceless robot whom she could tell she was going to like, she sat herself down on the couch and worked. It was tiring, to say the least, but there was something...satisfying about it. Something triumphant in having a productive conversation and vigorous (that would be the optimist's way of viewing it) in dragging through a nonproductive one.

She was pulled from her self-appointed thought period on Tony's couch when another ring sounded from her phone. She exhaled and reached for it.

It was another half an hour before she heard it. Well, she _sensed_ rather than heard it; a car pulling near the entrance to the mansion. She immediately tensed, politely asking the woman on the other end to hold one moment, and when a car door slammed and footsteps rapidly approached the entrance, she apologized to the woman and assured her she would be called again in the morning. Click.

She stood from the couch hesitantly, unsure how she should approach the guest. Ultimately, she decided to stay put. It would look normal.

She heard a man's voice, muffled behind the door, and was surprisingly spooked hearing JARVIS's equally muffled voice respond. It really wasn't something found odd unless heard in person.

Then the door opened and a man walked in wearing what looked like professional military clothing (straight, non wrinkled pants and a shirt decorated with military laurels). He began to storm his way towards the stairs leading to the workshop, looking absolutely ticked off, until he spotted Pepper.

He stopped abruptly and blinked. "Excuse me."

Pepper stood from the couch, her hands smoothing the crinkles from her pencil skirt, and walked around the coffee table. She presented a small smile as she approached the stranger.

"Hello, I'm Pepper Potts." She offered a hand to shake.

The man took it. "You're the new secretary."

Pepper linked her fingers behind her back and shrugged. "I prefer personal assistant."

The man smirked. "Yeah, so do I. Sounds less uptight. Listen, this is kind of urgent. Is Tony around?"

"He's downstairs. Working, I think."

The man nodded. He started towards that direction, hesitated, and swiveled around. "Jim Rhodes, by the way. I'm a friend of Tony's."

Pepper smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Rhodes."

He nodded and resumed hurrying to the workshop. Pepper looked after him curiously. She wondered what sort of relationship the two of them shared. She wondered if it was her place to wonder.

And then she shook her head in exasperation. At this point she knew too many things about Tony Stark that were not her place to know at all. She'd passed that boundary a long time ago.

* * *

**Next chapter=Pepper and Tony scenes to the max. **


End file.
